Additional Windows features you must try
Windows 10 does not lack a variety of features. In essence, each new update brings some new things that you can, and don’t have to, take advantage of. But did you know that Windows 10 has so-called "optional features", or additional/optional features that you can enable and use?
These features are designed for more advanced users, ie target power users and IT administrators, but some will come in handy for ordinary users in everyday work. We will show you where they are, how to train them, and briefly describe most of these possibilities. So let's go in order.
What are Windows 10 advanced features?
Furthermore, some older applications that came with Windows were also placed among these additional options - such as Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, WordPad. If you miss them, you can train them this way.
What confuses us in this whole story is the fact that you can enable the aforementioned features in two different places in Windows. In the new "Settings" application, and the older Control Panel. Most of the options overlap, but unfortunately, some options can only be enabled through the Settings, and others only through the Control Panel. We hope that Microsoft will "equalize" it at some point.
Let's also mention that the options in question also depend on the version of Windows you have. You will have most of the options available if you have Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise. If you have a Home edition, some options, unfortunately, you will not see it because you have not paid for them.
How to enable additional features in Settings?
There will be a list of the ones you have installed. If you haven’t removed anything in the past, you’ll see default apps like Notepad and Paint. If you don't need something from that list, just highlight the app and press "Uninstall".
Above this list, you can click on “See optional feature history” to see the history of installing and removing applications.
If you want to add new functionality, click on "Add a feature". This opens a new window, where you can highlight everything you want to install. When you are ready, click the "Install" button. As you can see, many items on the list are "language pack". This means that if you install a language pack, you can see menus and the rest of Windows in that language. But you probably installed your primary language pack when you installed Windows.
How to enable additional features in the Control Panel?
To enable certain functionality, just put a checkmark next to the one you want, and finally press OK. You may then need to reset your computer for the functionality to activate and become available to the user or you.
Additional features in Windows 10
- .NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0) and .NET Framework 4.8 Advanced Services: Support for applications that still use older versions of the .NET framework
- Containers: Provides you with services and tools for creating and managing Windows Server containers
- Device Lockdown: Protects you from writing data to disk, removes brand names from the boot screen and filters the keyboard. This is for public computers.
- Guarded Host: Used to configure protected hosts and run virtual machines on the server.
- Hyper-V: Service and management tool for running virtual machines.
- Internet Explorer 11: Microsoft's Web browser replaced by Edge.
- Math Recizerogn: Math Input Panel is a tool that converts handwritten mathematical formulas into digital text.
- Microsoft Paint: A simple image editing tool.
- Microsoft Print to PDF: Exports files to PDF format.
- Microsoft Quick Assist: A tool that allows Microsoft technical service to connect to your device and see your screen.
- Notepad: A simple text editor.
- OpenSSH Client: A client for securely managing your keys and accessing remote machines.
- Print Management Console: Manages printers, printer drivers, and print servers.
- Steps Recorder: A tool for creating a series of screenshots when you want to share something for troubleshooting.
- Telnet Client: A tool in the form of a line command used to manage other systems. It’s not safe, so don’t use it if you really don’t know what you’re doing.
- TFTP Client: A command line tool used to transfer data using the Trivial File Transfer Protocol. It is also not safe, and we do not recommend using it.
- Windows Fax and Scan: Integrated fax and scan application.
- Windows Hello Face: Windows Hello is a Windows 10 login tool using biometrics.
- Windows Media Player: Microsoft's old audio and video player.
- Windows PowerShell 2.0: A tool similar to Command Prompt but with more advanced features and the ability to automate tasks.
- Windows PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment: Graphical editor for PowerShell scripts.
- WordPad: A slightly more advanced editor than Notepad.
- XPS Viewer: Reads, copies, prints, signs and sets permissions for XPS documents.
JazzyK
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